National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1887-06-21
After Fifty Years.

Fifty years ago young girl but is years
old was reused from her slumbers IN the
middle of the night by Viscount Melburne,
prime minister OF William ~, and told
that the passing Of the angel OF death had
made her queen OF Great Britain, then, as
now, one of the richest and most powerful
nations Of the earth.
"The king is dead; long live the queen"
and so poor old decrepit william, the last
male living OF the Brunswicks, passed
away, and Victoria, the young girl, as
cended the throne fifty years ago to-day.
These fifty years have marked the most
wonderful changes recorded In any half
century since "the morning stars sang to-
gether." rejoicing over the creation of a
new world. The "Victorian era," as loyal
Englishmen delight to call it, has been q
wonderful one, not because Of anything
Victoria has done, but because 1t IN .rks the
period Of the achievements Of some OF tue
worlds greatest minds.
The cotton gin, the spinning jenny, and
the loom had just established their claims
to the throne through their powerful min
lister, "steam," and that, with electricity,
was chained as slave to the car OF progress.
Morse and Steinbell, Cause and Weber
were each at work in widely distant cities
on the telegraph. The first steamer crossed
the Atlantic ocean the first year Of Victoria's
reign and the first railway was built In
England.
1t is to these mighty forces, mightier
than royalty, even when represented by
Elizabeth, the strong -willed predecessor OF
Victoria, that England owes Its wonderful
progress in the fifty years that Victoria has
sat upon the throne. Had she been as
strong as Elizabeth and had all the wisdom
Of all the kings OF England from the days
when Egbert first consolidated the 'seven
Kingdoms" Victoria could neither have
advanced nor retarded the progress that
came through these natural forces.
There is one thing though for which Vie
toria deserves and should receive unstinted
praise. She has deodorizel the palaces of
England of the foul stencil left in them by
the licentious Georges A pure young girl
when she ascended the throne, she has re-
maEed a pure woman, with all the womanly
virtues that grace the wife, mother, and
daughter.
Forced by her high position to select a
husband, instead Of being selected, she
chose wisely, and the country hal cause to
rejoice that Vlctoria's husband never
claimed nor assumed any authority not
granted him by the laws of England.
Not always happy in her selection of men,
she succeeded in securing, as q rule, men
OF ability to manage the affairs OF that vast
realm, whose drum beat circles the worl l.,
and whilst her reign has been period of
unrest, when revolutions and wars were
changing the map of Europe and the dynas.
ties of the world, England was continually
strengthening at home and abroad.
At home by securing parliamentary re.
form, the enfranchisement OF the masses,
complete religious freedom, q national
system OF education, higher wages, aud
better care for the poor. And abroad by
charging the domain OF the empire In
every land and sea, until to-day thirty couu
tries, several OF them empires within them
selves, acknowledge the sway aud unite IL
the jubilee of the queen of Great Britain
and empress of India.
Nearly one-fourth OF the population OF
the world, about 320,000,0O0 people, are
under the control of Englands queen a
the time she celebrates the fiftieth ami
versary OF her reign, though not more thar
5O,000,000 Of them speak the English Ian
guage.
There lie one blot that stains Victoria
reign and cannot be effaced. 1t is the treat
ment OF Ireland. The tears OF millions o
evicted and exiled Irish, the blood of mill
ions who have perished for waut, the erie
OF starving children make the record In Ire
land, and Victoria has never opened he
mouth to stay the hands Of the men whit
caused these tears, these cries, this blood
A jubilee will not wash out this stain.
Only three rulers of England, befor,
Victoria, have reigued fifty years, and 1t 4
rather curious that each OF these wrote
'tnirdn after his name-Henry III, Ed
ward III, and George lII-aud the first o
these was only 0 and the second only Il
years old when crowned.
England to-day is a blaze OF glory
celebrating the jubilee OF Victoria. Thou
sands upon thousands OF dollars are ex
pended In the display to honor royalty
and II is hardly probable that any one will
stop to count what this fifty years OF Vic
toria's reign has cost the people Of Grea
Britain In money, for the use Of the queel
and her immediate family. An average o
about 100000 has been paid each of th
fifty years, that is f30,000,000 or $3.50,
100000, for the pleasure Of having a queen
Victoria, first lady Of the land, aud queer
of fifty million English people, is to da.
moving In grand procession surrounded
by regiments OF guards glittering will
tinsel and gold, and thousands line the wa
TO catch view OF the pageant.
And there is to-day another lady, frs
In the land Of sixty million Engllsn-speak,
ing people, who is travelling In an omnibu
with her old teachers and former schoo
mates TO take her scat In the old schoo
house where she was educated. What con
trast. And there is a still greater contrast
The one ia young, bright, and strong as The
yopng Republican nation she represents